Overview

• Abu Shabab confirmed in a July 6 radio interview that his Popular Forces militia coordinates its movements and informs the Israeli military of upcoming operations.
• He later disavowed certain attributed Makan radio quotes, calling them fabrications while maintaining his group received undisclosed logistical and financial backing.
• A Hamas court ruled on July 2 that Abu Shabab must surrender within ten days to face treason and related charges, a deadline that approaches with no sign of compliance.
• The Palestinian Joint Operations Room branded him a “traitor for hire” collaborating with Israel and threatened violence against him and his fighters.
• Israel’s strategy of arming rival factions to protect humanitarian aid routes in Gaza has sparked disputes over the Popular Forces’ legitimacy and fueled intra-Palestinian tensions.